ABA provided oral testimony on behalf of members of the Grain Chain to USDA at their recent listening session to review the 2015 Dietary Guideline process and how to improve the process moving forward towards the 2020 Review. In its comments, ABA stressed several key points: the importance of transparency; scope limited to nutritional recommendations; utilization of the Nutrition Evidence Library (NEL) to rely on the strongest science as its base; the need for diverse expertise and the value of enrichment including folic acid. ABA also noted that with the addition set of recommendations in 2020 for ages birth to two years, it will be critical for there to be a dedicated group to review with special expertise in the area of pediatrics, lifecycle nutrition, pediatric allergies and pediatric feeding experts.

This USDA session was in response to the language that was included in the 2015 omnibus spending package that requires the National Academies of Medicine to assemble a panel and conduct a review of the process.